Thermopylae In 480 BC, Sparta King Leonidas lead Greek forces against. The Persian armies at Thermopylae. The Persian King wished to rule. over all of Greece like his father. The Persian army was after Athens. Thermopylae was the gate way to Greece. Sparta lived for war the was lasted for ten days. 6 days waiting and 4 days. Fighting in a line of a rectangle formation over 300 Spartans. It was a long battle they fought well. All of the Spartans died by bows. The Spartans hated the bows it was a disadvantage it was a long ranged weapon. The Spartans close ranged weapons they had spears and swords. The Persian had spears but they. Were too weak to Perce thought their shields. And they had bows to finish the Spartans. But the Spartans did not